Follow Your Bliss…

If you could see me bouncin’ right now…………

I present to you the machine that will revolutionize the die cutting industry! Let’s hear it for THE XCALIBUR!!!!!!!!!!!

Spellbinders has done it again! This is the very first MOTORIZED die cutting and embossing system! If you will be attending CHA Winter, stop by Booth #5071 and see this fabulous machine for yourself!

Spellbinders tells us that this machine will be available in May 2008! Hop on over to their website HERE and check it out! Be sure to keep checking back for updates.

Who’s excited?! I AM!!!!

I have been looking at this darling Lockhart baby bib for a few weeks. It struck me that I could use some patterned paper to make some really cute bibs. So I pulled out my Tres Jolie My Mind’s Eye paper and got to work! Naturally, I had to make one for a boy and one for a girl.

Special Delivery Boy

I stamped the bib twice with Adirondack espresso ink: once on the Valley Forge parchment, and once on the plaid paper. I cut out the bib, and colored the trim with my Copic markers. I airbrushed around the bib on the parchment which was cut and embossed with my Spellbinders Nestability circle die.

The scalloped oval pattern was cut with my NEW Nestability Petite scalloped oval. These new dies are SO awesome! They are a more narrow oval, and the smaller ones can be used for sentiments on your cards! LOVE that! I used a celery green Arturo notecard.

A PaperTrey sentiment, a bit of Stickles on the plaid, and some May Arts ribbon finish off the design.

Baby Girl Bib

All of the same process was used for the girl card. I love how Debbie ties her ribbon this way! I used a pink Arturo notecard for this one.

Hope you all have a great week! Thanks for stopping by!!

Just a reminder that today is the last day for Lindsey’s huge 25% off sale!! Hop on over and check it out HERE!

Happy Shopping! 

I had so much fun with this Lizzie Anne Ooh La La set last night. I decided to make a notebook and matching card!

Mon Amie

Another find from my paper stash~ Paper Salon’s Karen Neuburger Chesapeake Damask! (whew, that is a mouthful, huh? LOL!!) Coordinating Adirondack ink in cool peri, hazelnut, lake mist, and eggplant. I sponged all around the patterned paper with the hazelnut ink, and my Ranger cut & dry foam. I machine stitched all around, and stamped the little fleur de lis in each corner.

For the focal image, I stamped them on Valley Forge olde natural parchment, then cut and embossed with my square Nestability die. I watercolored the image, (quite roughly) sponged all around, then matted with a Spellbinders scalloped square in Prism twilight light cardstock. The beige colored “banner” is the reverse side of the damask cardstock. For some added shimmer, the focal image was highlighted with my clear Copic Spica glitter pen.

Bonjour!

Here is the matching card! Same cardstock and ink, and I also used the Lizzie Anne Jolies Fleurs set for the paisley in the background. Focal image was cut and embossed with my Spellbinders scalloped square, and also highlighted with the Copic Spica clear pen. I custom colored my vanilla taffeta ribbon with my Copic BV02 marker, and added a little interest with a tiny Making Memories safety pin.

I really enjoyed creating this set, as I love to distress things! I hope you enjoyed them, too!

Be sure to hop on over to Lindsey’s store, as she is having a huge 25% off sale till Saturday! WOO HOO!! Thanks Lindsey!

Thanks for visiting!

I am soooo in LOVE with this set from Lizzie Anne Designs! It’s called Ooh La La and you can buy it HERE! I had some fun making my samples for this set, so here’s the first one!

Merci

I have been digging through my stash of patterned paper lately, and found this Cherrywood Lane line by Heidi Grace that I got from my LSS. I absolutely adore the colors, and thought they would work well with my French themed card.

I mounted the strip of paisley to the striped pattern, then created a frame with the argyle print. To do this, I used the Spellbinders magnetic mat, and placed the plain square Nestability die inside the scalloped square die. I ran it through to cut, and again to emboss.

I cut a square of Valley Forge Olde Natural parchment paper slightly smaller than the frame and lightly marked with a pencil where the inside of the frame was positioned. This allowed me to easily position the images on the panel before adhering it to the back of the frame. I used Ranger Adirondack colors in pink sherbet, hazelnut, and espresso.

I adhered this panel to the back of the frame, added a bit of taupe grosgrain ribbon, and an AMuse pink bling to the top of the tower. The tower was colored with my clear Copic Spica glitter pen for some shimmer.

The sentiment was stamped on the same parchment paper, then punched with the word window and Bazzill brads added. I adhered this to a Prism Razzleberry light cardbase, then added the framed panel on foam dimensional tape.

Be sure to come back tomorrow for a set I made with these darling stamps! Bye for now!!

When GinaK asked me if I would do some designs for her new Stamps for a Cause set I immediately replied with a “YES!”. This set is SO darling and versatile, and best of all, $7 from the sale of each “How Sweet it is” set will be divided evenly between The American Diabetes Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. I have a brother with diabetes, so this hits close to home for me. Thank you, Gina!

I had so much fun taking inspiration from the patterned paper this week, that I decided to do it again! This time, I used this retired Stampin’ UP! paper, as it is one of my favorites. (I can’t remember the name of it?) I have been told that the Ranger Adirondack inks are great for watercoloring, and haven’t used this method of coloring in a long time! So, I whipped out my waterbrush and got to work!

I used the following Adirondack colors: pool, lemonade, lettuce, raspberry, and pink sherbet. I also used my Copic Spica glitter pens for some added shimmer.

Cardstock is Prism and Stampers Select white, which is FABULOUS to watercolor with!

A little accent of some May Arts & Michael’s ribbon make these cards sweet!

Thanks for stopping by, and be sure to visit GinaK’s site to get your own set! I’ll have some more designs to share with you, so be sure to check back!

Well hello there! I hope you are all having a fabulous Friday! I don’t have a Friday Favorite entry, but I do have 5 designs to share with you. Actually, I could say that today’s favorite is Basic Grey Two Scoops collection!
I decided to maximize my time one night after work, and color several of Karen Lockhart’s new release images while watching American Idol. I had just received my brand new Basic Grey Two Scoops 6×6 pad, so I pulled those colors for my inspiration. I was so pleased with how quickly these came together! All images were stamped with Brilliance graphite black, on Neenah Solar White cardstock, and colored with Copic Markers.

This Adirondack chair is so great for masculine cards! The cardbase is Prism twilight light, and the sentiment is my new fave from Lizzie Anne Designs: Say it in Script. The chipboard flourishes are new from Basic Grey, too! The image was cut and embossed with my square Spellbinders Nestability die, and airbrushed with my Copics! Flowers were highlighted with Stickles.

Another masculine design using the Vintage Garden Chair. The brads are also from the Two Scoops collection, but Lindsey is sold out right now. I used my square and rectangle Nestabilities, some Copic airbrushing, and May Arts ribbon. Cardstock is Prism Nautical Blue light. I added some Stickles to the ice in the glass of lemonade.

I love this stack of cupcakes! They fit perfectly in the Spellbinders Tag dies. Some May Arts ribbon, Stickles, and a little piercing make this a quick and easy card. Rickrack sticker is from the Two Scoops collection, as well (Linz is sold out right now). Cardstock is Prism blush red light.

I used the same Prism cardstock on this one, and another sentiment from the same Lizzie Anne Say it in Script set. The Lockhart cherries were covered in Ranger glossy accents. I used my circle Nestabilities, and some melon colored grosgrain from Anna’s store.

And today’s last design…the bowl of peaches! More Prism twilight light cardstock, Martha Stewart pink twill, Stickles on the peaches, and Basic Grey brads, oval Nestabilities, and some Copic airbrushing.

Hope you enjoyed today’s designs. It’s hard to believe that you can get so many looks from one little 6×6 paper pad, isn’t it?

Thank you for stopping by!! HUGS!

Just wanted to share a couple of shots from my house this morning. There’s about 5 inches of snow, and a little ice on top. I have always loved living in a log home, but there is something so special about living in one when in snows. Bliss.

And a tiny little ice covered pinecone:

(click on images for full size)

I have several cards I am putting together, so check back for a little inspiration!

This morning I went to my Veterinary office to pick up Shelby’s ashes. I had prepared myself for it, and was looking forward to bringing her back home.
As Brenda approached me, she had something else in her hand. She held out this small round disc, and said,”We wanted you to have a special memory of Shelby.” This is what it was:

I was so touched by their love and kindness. I never expected to receive such a precious gift. I hope it warms your heart as much as it has mine.

Hey everyone.

Several of you have asked why I sold my SU! ink. I have decided to change to Ranger Adirondack Ink. Due to my design work and publication work, I felt it was better for me to use ink that is more “retail friendly”.

The Ranger line of ink is absolutely superb, and the 48 colors are fabulous. I also have the Distress inks. I am also going to be using Prism Cardstock, but do have a TON of SU left. I will eventually sell that, too, but need to build up my Prism inventory of colors before I do that.

So, there ya have it! Thanks to all of you that emailed, and those that purchased. I cannot believe how fast they flew out the door!

I promise I will share some inspiration soon. Things are really busy right now, and am just trying to keep my head above water

Thank you for supporting me, and for visiting. I hope that you continue to find inspiration here, even though I will no longer be using SU! ink and cardstock. Honestly…it doesn’t really matter what brand I use. Blue ink is blue ink. The inspiration is still there, right?